I posted nothing about my brother, but he's been very ill for months with pneumonia, bleeding ulcer, intestinal perforations, his heart had stopped, and he has been crippled by his underlying condition of Ankylosing Spondilitis - arthritis of the spine. It's been getting me down.

I was awake in the wee hours and thought of your thread. My best wishes to your brother, and may your sleep be sound when you finally turn in.

Just me and 50 guests. Guess there's a lot of late night lurkers hanging around uh?

Hi Jase. I'm on here alone again tonight.

One of my best friend's mom died last week; she was a lovely lady that everybody liked, would smile and make you laugh, sweet lady.

My brother's home and he's not an easy patient. He was a wonderful man, now he's diminished.

I'm here, too, buddy.

I'm sorry to hear about your brother's illness and your loss of a great lady.

It is so difficult to watch a loved one's illness not only rob them physically but emotionally as well. Our mom had early onset dementia at the age of fifty and seeing her disappear before our eyes was terrible. Now as my brother and sister and I are all around that age we have to wonder what's in store for us in the next few years.

My grandfather had a touch of Alzheimer's and it was like he didn't even connect with me as his grandson anymore..he knew my name but it was like there was no emotional attachment of any kind. It was liked he died years before he actually did.

My girlfriend's Aunt seemed greatly diminished the last time we visited her. Before she always be laughing and joking and just so happy to see us but last time, she didn't even know me and it was like she was back in some different point in time in her mind. My girlfriend was very hurt because it was like she didn't want to see her...

Makes me want to appreciate the time and life we do have all the more for we don't know how long we have to enjoy it.

Makes me want to appreciate the time and life we do have all the more for we don't know how long we have to enjoy it.

You said it, brother.

Which is why I'm in the process of leaving a job that's fairly secure but bores me to tears - yes, in this awful economy! - to move to an area of the country where I've always wanted to be. I asked myself the question: be it one year or fifty, is this how I want to spend the rest of my life?

My Dad was deep into Alzheimer's long before he passed on last year ~ strangely, he managed to hide it when I was around but he couldn't keep up the charade with my Mom. I realize now that she was spared a lot when Dad passed on ~ he was really ill with other medical complaints as well ~ and hardly recognized her anymore. The weird thing is, he would always recognize me and chat to me lucidly all the time.

One funny thing: in December 2007, he was hospitalized for a time and after Mom and I visited him on Christmas Day, he decided to walk around and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Errrrmmmmm....... problem. He did it stark naked. +

Logged

Questions fell but no one stopped to listenThat eternity was just a dawn awayAnd the rest was sure to comeLeaves, caught in winter's ice

My turn. It echoes in here. It's not exactly what I would call 'late', but last I looked I was the only one on right now.

Between the sugar from the leftover Halloween candy I ate and being supremely riled at my lowlife brother, I may not get to sleep any time soon. I pity the fool who crosses me tomorrow...they'll unleash one heck of a storm.